Pep Guardiola - 2022/23

[alexmcity]

Something went badly wrong in the build up to last nights game I feel. Wrong line up aside, maybe poor motivation, lack of interest etc. We were appalling.

We did probably underestimate them as they are the weakest team in the league. Plus we didn't probably expect that they would play their strongest team, given they have a highly important game 3 days later. They are likely to lose vs Everton now, but we weren't prepared to play such an intense game. They surprised us. Our line-up was a bit weaker, especially given that it was Phillips' first start. Combined with Walker at CB, Foden in midfield and Palmer on the RW, the line up was more experimental than necessary.

 

[Keeper!]

We have gone from a joy to watch a couple of seasons ago, to a ruthless machine last season but for me we have become predictable, dull and boring.

We so badly miss pace, creativity and Haaland apart, pure excitement.

 

[Roachy]

We did probably underestimate them as they are the weakest team in the league. Plus we didn't probably expect that they would play their strongest team, given they have a highly important game 3 days later. They are likely to lose vs Everton now, but we weren't prepared to play such an intense game. They surprised us. Our line-up was a bit weaker, especially given that it was Phillips' first start. Combined with Walker at CB, Foden in midfield and Palmer on the RW, the line up was more experimental than necessary.

Agree with this, the line up was always going to be a likely fail. It was everthing else though. No desire, motivation or willingness to get a foothold in the game. That just didn't happen at kick off, the seeds were sown in the build up and prep one way or another.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

We have gone from a joy to watch a couple of seasons ago, to a ruthless machine last season but for me we have become predictable, dull and boring.

We so badly miss pace, creativity and Haaland apart, pure excitement.

I think our style is fine against teams that don't put XI men on the edge of their own box. When we play United, Chelsea, Liverpool etc, the quality is there.

The issue for me is playing this way against sides that play us looking for a 0-0. They play narrow and our pass, pass, pass, slow motion style, allows them to set and remain compact. The problem is, the vast majority of our games are against these teams. When we played quicker in years gone by, these teams were usually on the end of a hiding. They couldn't cope with us.

Our own style of play has somewhat levelled the playing field against the dross, to the extent that I actually prefer watching us against the better sides.

 

[1Basti]

Nobody has a crystal ball, but I find it impossible to believe that the other Prem sides would have found it as easy to adjust to and negate the qualities of the 17/18 and 18/19 sides as they are seemingly doing with this side.

I don’t want to knock him, I love the guy but this season, I consistently find myself asking what the fuck has happened to this team. This is is most non-Pep like team I have ever seen. His Barca side remains the greatest side I have ever seen. His Bayern side were a great team and so exciting to watch. His 17/18 and 18/19 sides, just incredible. This side is just so meh in comparison and a huge departure from what he has delivered here and at his previous clubs.

agree with some points but for me personally the F9 years (20/21 & 21/22) at city were more exiciting to watch than his time at Bayern & closer to his Barca days...in the CL the F9 team was also the most successful city side ever (F,SF)

I think the 3 "CB system" is the real problem...i hope he will drop it soon

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Pep didn’t look too fussed at full time last night with that result and waking up this morning I’m not either.

Normally I’d be pissed off about missing out on the possibility of a trip to Wembley but, in this World Cup disrupted/ruined season, I’m simply not.

It’s only about the Prem and CL this season (and for this season only).

 

[Mancini’s Pastilles]

Something went badly wrong in the build up to last nights game I feel. Wrong line up aside, maybe poor motivation, lack of interest etc. We were appalling.

Worst city pep performance I've seen since the 4 0 loss to Everton

 

[domalino]

It’s only about the Prem and CL this season (and for this season only).

Is that why we put out full strength sides to beat Chelsea and Liverpool in the EFL cup when the schedule was at it's busiest?

Come on, let's not be the fans who pretend their club was never interested in a cup when they go out.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Pep didn’t look too fussed at full time last night with that result and waking up this morning I’m not either.

Normally I’d be pissed off about missing out on the possibility of a trip to Wembley but, in this World Cup disrupted/ruined season, I’m simply not.

It’s only about the Prem and CL this season (and for this season only).

I think you are right, Pep is building for next season I think as well, hopefully with Bellingham and a world class left back. Its a bit of a rebuild with Haaland and getting a style that suits that, Pep will sacrifice the FA cup as well against Arsenal if it means we can pull away in the league.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

agree with some points but for me personally the F9 years (20/21 & 21/22) at city were more exiciting to watch than his time at Bayern & closer to his Barca days...in the CL the F9 team was also the most successful city side ever (F,SF)

I think the 3 "CB system" is the real problem...i hope he will drop it soon

Favourite sides is a personal preference. I have never seen an English side play football as good as we did in 17/18. It was fast, exciting and completely dominant. I get that others will prefer other styles.

I agree re CBs but this comes back to having five of them and Pep trying to keep them all happy. Three of them are top-class. Two of them are useful squad players that are seeing far too much game time. Teams don't get better by consistently playing players who are worse than others in the same position.

 

[waspish]

Happens to all the greats eventually (an argument for Paisley as an exception). Suddenly the aura slips through familiarity. Players no longer willing to run through walls and buy into the excitement of new ideas and methods, etc. etc. Is it resurrectable? Big test.

Funny that against Chelsea we pressed batter than we have all season and battered them! Tonight like pep said Southampton we’re better in all departments there press closing down long balls down our left them winning every second ball we’re just not up to it! For me I want to win every game but that loss will benefit us in the long term! There is 21 league games left and champs league plus the fa cup!

Oh are we not allowed to have a bad game!?

 

[Craig]

Favourite sides is a personal preference. I have never seen an English side play football as good as we did in 17/18. It was fast, exciting and completely dominant. I get that others will prefer other styles.

I agree re CBs but this comes back to having five of them and Pep trying to keep them all happy. Three of them are top-class. Two of them are useful squad players that are seeing far too much game time. Teams don't get better by consistently playing players who are worse than others in the same position.

I’d get him having to play Ake on the left at the moment because Cancelo has been terrible and nobody else is good enough to play there. As Ake can’t really attack or provide width though you’d think the other fullback would be asked to bomb on and provide a bit of width like Walker did on Sunday. Instead we play the other one inverted and we’re more narrow than ever with slow wingers who like to cut inside having nobody to help them create the space to do so. It’s genuinely bizarre how he keeps setting us up.

 

[waspish]

All judgement should saved till end of the season all this knee jerk bollocks is predictable as always! A team can be better than any team in A game!

 

[meeesh]

He has to give the players new tactical ideas though as it’s not him that’s getting bored, it’s the players. He has to give them something different each season so that the guys that have been here 5,6,7 years still feel like they are learning and it still feels fairly fresh. That’s what he’s trying, that’s why we have this current system. But it’s just not working and the players don’t look up for trying something new or different, they just look fed up. And that’s the major concern regarding whether enough of our players are still 100% up for working with Pep.

Like Bernardo being a prime example

 

[mosssideblue]

Is that why we put out full strength sides to beat Chelsea and Liverpool in the EFL cup when the schedule was at it's busiest?

Come on, let's not be the fans who pretend their club was never interested in a cup when they go out.

Exactly.

 

[waspish]

This is the kind of performance - the whole team not performing, tactics not working or not being followed, general malaise - that would make Pep walk away if it was repeated a few times.


He always says he'll walk away if the players stop responding to him. There better be one hell of response on Saturday because half a dozen matches like that before June and we could be in big trouble.

Yeah agree but he won’t just walk mid season it be at the end of the season

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Is that why we put out full strength sides to beat Chelsea and Liverpool in the EFL cup when the schedule was at it's busiest?

Come on, let's not be the fans who pretend their club was never interested in a cup when they go out.

We didn’t though.

Chelsea EFL Cup: Ortega Gomez Lewis Palmer and Alvarez started (and in my strongest XI, I wouldn’t have Grealish and he started)

Liverpool EFL Cup: Ortega Lewis and Palmer started, plus it was a game where Mahrez and Haaland needed minutes after not playing for six weeks, others were the only ones available after the World Cup.

Chelsea FA Cup: Ortega Gomez Palmer and Alvarez started.


I also said this back in October:
Post in thread 'Would you accept this scenario?'
https://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/would-you-accept-this-scenario.357248/post-15391167
‘For one season and one season only, I want to go out of both domestic cup competitions as early as possible to help make either of the above happen.’

So it’s not like I’m saying it after the fact.

 

[waspish]

Something went badly wrong in the build up to last nights game I feel. Wrong line up aside, maybe poor motivation, lack of interest etc. We were appalling.

Maybe the players think we don’t need this with extra games! Now if we show up to a champs league game or Saturday game and put in a half hearted performance then we have bit of problem but there is so so many games left in the season am not overly concerned..

 

[madloaf]

Funny that against Chelsea we pressed batter than we have all season and battered them! Tonight like pep said Southampton we’re better in all departments there press closing down long balls down our left them winning every second ball we’re just not up to it! For me I want to win every game but that loss will benefit us in the long term! There is 21 league games left and champs league plus the fa cup!

Oh are we not allowed to have a bad game!?

We've had plenty of bad games this season. How many is too many?

 

[waspish]

I think our style is fine against teams that don't put XI men on the edge of their own box. When we play United, Chelsea, Liverpool etc, the quality is there.

The issue for me is playing this way against sides that play us looking for a 0-0. They play narrow and our pass, pass, pass, slow motion style, allows them to set and remain compact. The problem is, the vast majority of our games are against these teams. When we played quicker in years gone by, these teams were usually on the end of a hiding. They couldn't cope with us.

Our own style of play has somewhat levelled the playing field against the dross, to the extent that I actually prefer watching us against the better sides.

Southampton wasn’t a team that parked the bus it was a throw back to the kick and rush football with high intensity pressing not letting us rest for one second now if Gomez and Philip or Ortega didn’t have a Brain fart maybe the game be different! Bottom line Southampton was far far more motivated hungry for this game! They get beat in the semi final and go down!